Compact machine learning architecture for wideband direction finding with circular antenna arrays

Abstract

A computer system for angle of arrival estimation receives one or more snapshots from a circular array of antennas. The computer system processes the one or more snapshots for amplitude and/or phase-based direction finding using two cascaded algorithms. The first algorithm of the two cascaded algorithms is configured to identify a target subregion from which a signal arrives. The second algorithm of the two cascaded algorithms is configured to identify a direction of the signal within the target subregion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer system for angle of arrival estimation comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to:
 receive one or more snapshots from a circular array of antennas; and 
 process the one or more snapshots for amplitude and/or phase-based direction finding using two cascaded algorithms, wherein:
 a first algorithm of the two cascaded algorithms is configured to identify a target subregion from which a signal arrives, and 
 a second algorithm of the two cascaded algorithms is configured to identify a direction of the signal within the target subregion. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first algorithm comprises a first machine learning algorithm, wherein the first machine learning algorithm is trained to identify the target subregion from which the signal arrives. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second algorithm comprises a second machine learning algorithm, wherein the second machine learning algorithm is trained to identify the direction of the signal within the target subregion. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second algorithm identifies the direction of the signal within any subregion received from the first algorithm. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 4 , wherein the second algorithm operates independent of an angular location of the target subregion. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more snapshots are only amplitude voltage or amplitude power readings. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more snapshots consist of a single snapshot. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method, executed on one or more processors, for angle of arrival estimation, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving one or more snapshots from a circular array of antennas; and   processing the one or more snapshots for amplitude and/or phase-based direction finding using two cascaded algorithms, wherein:
 a first algorithm of the two cascaded algorithms is configured to identify a target subregion from which a signal arrives, and 
 a second algorithm of the two cascaded algorithms is configured to identify a direction of the signal within the target subregion. 
   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the first algorithm comprises a first machine learning algorithm, wherein the first machine learning algorithm is trained to identify the target subregion from which the signal arrives. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the second algorithm comprises a second machine learning algorithm, wherein the second machine learning algorithm is trained to identify the direction of the signal within the target subregion. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the second algorithm identifies the direction of the signal within any subregion received from the first algorithm. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the second algorithm operates independent of an angular location of the target subregion. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more snapshots are only amplitude voltage or amplitude power readings. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more snapshots consist of a single snapshot. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable media comprising one or more physical computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause a computer system to perform a method for angle of arrival estimation, the method comprising:
 receiving one or more snapshots from a circular array of antennas; and   processing the one or more snapshots for amplitude and/or phase-based direction finding using two cascaded algorithms, wherein:
 a first algorithm of the two cascaded algorithms is configured to identify a target subregion from which a signal arrives, and 
 a second algorithm of the two cascaded algorithms is configured to identify a direction of the signal within the target subregion. 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first algorithm comprises a first machine learning algorithm, wherein the first machine learning algorithm is trained to identify the target subregion from which the signal arrives. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the second algorithm comprises a second machine learning algorithm, wherein the second machine learning algorithm is trained to identify the direction of the signal within the target subregion. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the second algorithm identifies the direction of the signal within any subregion received from the first algorithm. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the second algorithm operates independent of an angular location of the target subregion. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the one or more snapshots consist of a single snapshot.